Britain will deploy Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help defend the kingdom against increasing attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the UK government announced on Tuesday. The aircraft will protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure from drones and missiles, the Defense Ministry said. They will not carry out offensive attacks against Houthi targets in Yemen. “The Houthis’ continued attacks on our ally Saudi Arabia are absolutely despicable,” said British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting. He particularly condemned the attacks on Riyadh international airport, which has been the target of 20 attacks since the beginning of October. Riyadh’s international airport has seen a series of attacks claimed by the Houthis. Image: Social Media/REUTERS Attacks at the airport have killed at least 18 people and injured hundreds this month, according to reports. What additional military support is Britain providing? The deployment responds to a request from Saudi Arabia and expands military assistance announced by London in September. Britain will also send an Atlas A400M military transport plane and military advisers. It has extended its offer to provide in-flight refueling to Saudi aircraft operating against the Houthis for another 90 days. The announcement comes as Yemen’s civil war continues to escalate following the collapse of a years-long truce in September. Houthi attacks have increasingly targeted Saudi oil facilities and civilian infrastructure. The rebels also imposed a naval blockade and attacked oil tankers, disrupting oil exports and driving up energy prices. Houthi rebels have also attacked oil facilities in Saudi Arabia [PHOTO: October 3]Image: REUTERS Inside Yemen, authorities said a Houthi attack on Monday killed 58 people at a training camp for Saudi-backed government security forces. Saudi Arabia and the United States accuse Iran of supporting the Houthis, a charge Tehran denies. How is the conflict affecting Saudi Arabia’s economy? Saudi Arabia has postponed its flagship Future Investment Initiative conference, known informally as “Davos in the desert”, until 2027. The event, originally scheduled for October 26-29, was expected to attract top international financiers. According to media reports, major banks and private equity firms had expressed security concerns while attending the event. The conference is a key part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to attract foreign investment and diversify its economy away from oil. Edited by: Roshni Majumdar If you trust our team for trustworthy reporting, please take a moment to select us as your preferred source on Google, so you always see our verified news first.
